Registration With FEMA Essential
Release Date: January 2, 2008
Release Number: 1734-026
» More Information on Washington Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
LACEY, Wash. -- Washington residents who registered with their county emergency management office, with the Red Cross or other voluntary agency following the early December storms and floods MUST also register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be considered for federal or state disaster assistance.
Federal and state officials encourage residents affected by the storms of early December to apply for disaster assistance. Registering for assistance is the first step in disaster recovery say federal and state officials. To date nearly 8,000 residents have registered for disaster assistance.
To apply for assistance call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, Monday through Sunday until further notice. Individuals can also register online at www.fema.gov.
The counties designated for Individual Assistance (IA) in the Dec. 8th federal disaster declaration are: Clallam, Grays Harbor, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Snohomish and Thurston.
Many types of federal and state disaster assistance are available for homeowners and renters to help compensate losses not fully covered by insurance. These can include rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable; grants to repair homes and replace essential household items to make damaged dwellings safe and sanitary; and grants to meet serious disaster-related needs not covered by other programs. Assistance can also include low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to repair major damage and replace damaged personal property.
Businesses may also be eligible for low-interest SBA loans to help them recover from the disaster, including loans to recover from property losses not fully covered by insurance. In addition, small businesses may receive loans to help provide working-capital funds to recover from the disaster's economic impact.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Jan-2008 09:00:40